Claire's POV

The banquet hall was packed again, but the vibe had shifted.

Sitting at the head table beside Damian, the Moon Diadem rested cold against my hair. The change in the room was palpable. Those same nobles who used to sneer at me—Chase’s disgraced fiancé—now dropped their gaze when I walked by.

Word of the Pierce family’s downfall had spread like wildfire through the court.

It should have tasted like sweet victory. Instead, it weighed a ton. Chase booted out. Ivy caged. My father stripped of his power. I'd hit the jackpot, yet the win felt empty.

Damian sat close, draping one arm along the back of my chair....